Is This Your Mansion?
by Rowan and Sakura
Summary: A YGO parody of Beauty and the Beast, with Rowan's own little twists. Who is Beauty? Who is the Beast? Read to find out! Rated for slight sexuality CHAP 6 UP!
1. Chapter 1

Hello and welcome to Rowan's humorous parody of "Beauty and the Beast" starring the YGO cast. I was originally going to have Yami Bakura be the Beast, but he objected, and since Ryou's Beauty anyway, I thought it would be too much.

This opening was originally in script form, but because doesn't like that, I took it out. However, since Yami Bakura will not (currently) be in this story (he was quite obnoxious about being cast as the Beast), he did appear in beginning and end notes and still does on my fanfiction LJ. So for fun, if you have a lot of time to waste, you can go there and read this story with the original script openings and closings. Just go to my profile and click on my website. My LJ username is pretty straight forward: rowanandsakura, surprise surprise! And if not, that's cool too. Now, without further ado…

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. I just cast them in this storyline that I don't own either. And I'm dirt poor. So don't sue me. You'll only be wasting your time.

Is This Your Mansion?

Chapter One

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Once upon a time there lived a philandering, gambling old man named Pegasus. He lived in a cottage by the edge of town with his three children and his dead wife (well, she technically lived in the backyard, but this man painted many portraits of her, it was like she was there.) The eldest of Pegasus's children was a beautiful blonde who had a hankering for purple. She was very extravagant and enjoyed the many finer things in life. Unfortunately, because of her high-maintenance tastes, she had to cater for herself, and ended up working at the local fast food chain wearing dinky little outfits that were always out of style.

The second child was a brunette who felt that everyone and everything should get along with each other. She was often found at church on Sundays attempting to preach to the congregation about the importance of friendship. She even tried to get the family cat and dog to be pals. She failed miserably when the dog took a chunk off the cat's tail. The cat went mad and had to be put down after that. Many tears were shed.

The third child was a real beauty, blessed with soft white hair, delicate pale skin, and brown eyes so deep and soulful that one look into them and you were in love. Despite the peculiarities of his two sisters, their young brother loved them very much. He loved animals and nature itself, and birds were his especial friends. He was soft and gentle, and if he weren't a boy, every man in town would be lined up at his door.

But because the youngest and most beautiful child was a guy, and the two females, though beautiful as well, too strange to account for, there was a serious lack of suitors at Pegasus's house. Which meant that the old man had to support the lavish tastes of the blonde, whose name was Mai, a derivative from her first word; the misdemeanors of Anzu, the brunette, who was named what she was only because that's her real name in the show; and the bird feed for Ryou, also called Beauty for all intents and purposes of this story.

At the beginning of this story, Pegasus was setting off on an expedition to Egypt (where, eventually, he would discover the Shadow games, his Millennium Eye, create the game Duel Monsters, become very wealthy, and eventually go mad). Before he left, he turned to his children and asked what it was they would like their father to bring back.

"Beautiful dresses! And jewelry too!" Mai demanded.

Jotting these requests down on a piece of paper, Pegasus turned to his second daughter. "And what do you want Anzu?"

Anzu hesitated before saying, "I want…uh….oh, just get me what Mai asked for."

Pegasus nodded, then turned and smiled at his only son. "And you Beauty? What is it that I can get for you?"

Ryou looked around as he thought. "The first twig that hits your hat on the way home." Ryou glanced down at the Brothers Grimm book in his hand and gasped. "Oh sorry! That's Cinderella! Ah, here's my line! Father, I'd like a single white rose to plant at Mother's grave please."

Pegasus smiled. "Is that all Beauty-boy?"

'That's just disturbing…' Ryou grimaced and nodded. "Yes, that's all."

Pegasus tipped his hat and pecked each child on the cheek, and went off on his merry way.

He first took a carriage to the coast, then a boat to Egypt, which met with an unfortunate accident in which he was the sole survivor. His travels took him far and wide, and he learned many things. On his journey, he grew in wealth and was able to, over time, acquire the beautiful dresses and spectacular gems his daughters had requested. But there was a problem. He was lost and could not find his way back home. No matter the riches in the world if he couldn't share it with the ones he loved. And since he was unaware of when he would be able to return home, he could not buy Beauty his rose.

But finally, after many long years of waiting (okay, more like months…) Pegasus remembered where he lived! Packing his things, the dresses and jewels and furnishings; everything and the kitchen sink, Pegasus set off for home once more.

He sailed across the ocean and the boat once again met with an unfortunate accident in which Pegasus and his acquisitions were the only survivors. Left soaking on the beach with his many bags and a conveniently placed horse-drawn cart, Pegasus stumbled down a dark path through a thick wood. It was late dusk when he came upon a clearing in the middle of the forest, where a magnificent castle (well, it was more of a mansion…) stood. Weary, wet and once again lost, Pegasus practically threw himself through the gates. The door to the mansion swung open invitingly. The man, too delirious to question the door moving on its own, walked inside. He naturally forgot about the horse.

"Hello?" Pegasus called as he wandered the castle's corridors. "Is anyone here?" A light on the left near the end of the hall glowed warmly and it was into this room that Pegasus walked into.

It was a dining room, with a single table that stretched so far down it made Pegasus dizzy. There was food on the table, still warm from the kitchens and a chair at the head of the table was pulled out, as if inviting him to take a seat and partake in the many delicacies provided him. Pegasus was more than happy to oblige.

Once he had eaten his fill, Pegasus was led to a well-furnished bedroom. Kicking off his shoes, Pegasus fell asleep in his cheesy pink suit.

The next morning when Pegasus woke up, he found a clean, stylish pair of clothes to wear and when he returned to the dining room in his new attire there was breakfast on the endless table.

After breakfast, Pegasus was curious as to who his gracious but invisible host was and went looking all over the grounds. Walking outside, he found his horse watered and fed, and patted down with a brush until his fur shone. Pegasus patted the horse absently on the neck, then proceeded in his search.

He had not walked far on the grounds before he encountered the most beautiful white rose bushes he had ever beheld with his eyes- er, one eye now. Not that his Millennium Eye had seen any rose as gorgeous or as perfect as the most wilted one on those well-tended bushes. "It must be a sign," Pegasus whispered softly. "I will be returning home shortly and have not gotten Beauty his rose yet. Surely my host- wherever he is- will not mind if I take just one rose back for my child?"

But just as Pegasus plucked the most perfectly shaped rose of the finest hue of ivory-white that he could find, a long shadow, nearly as long as the table at which he had eaten, loomed menacingly over him and a cold voice spoke.

"You dare take one of my roses? You, whom I have fed and clothed and sheltered and shown mercy when you deserved none, you dare pluck one of my roses off my bush?"

Pegasus shuddered at the voice and tentatively turned around to face his elusive host. He gasped when he looked into the man's eyes- they were cold, devoid of any emotion. Though his skin was fair and youthful, there was only cruelty and uncaring indifference in his deep blue eyes. This was no man that stood above him, but a beast. Pegasus pressed himself close to the ground and whimpered.

"P-please, I m-merely took the rose for my son, B-Beauty. Before I left home many months ago, that was what he wanted me to bring back; a singularly perfect white rose." Pegasus's voice came out weak and frightened and as he finished his speech he held the rose up to the beast, his long silver hair shielding him from the creature's coldness.

"Keep the rose and give it to your son. However, as punishment for your ungratefulness, you must swear to bring to me within a fortnight the first living thing to greet you when you come home." Pegasus gasped and pulled the rose back to his chest. The creature's offer was fair; most likely it would be the family dog to greet him when he returned home and he could risk the dog for his son's happiness.

"I-I p-promise," he stuttered. "Thank you." Suddenly, Pegasus could feel the sun again and, looking up, the beast had disappeared. He sighed in relief, then went quickly to fetch the horse.

It took another day and night of traveling through the wood, but Pegasus finally saw his lovely cottage again. Standing on the hill, he breathed in the delicious smell of springtime surrounding his home, until his heart stopped.

Ryou, his Beauty, who had been standing beneath the tree that shaded Pegasus's wife in her resting place, had seen his father standing on the hilltop and was running up the slope with a vibrant smile and arms wide open. Pegasus froze in sorrow and shock as those beloved arms of his youngest child wrapped around him.

"Father! You're back!" Beauty cried in delight. Pegasus smiled shakily, then desperately enfolded his son in a crushing hug, as though he would never see Ryou again.

Ryou leaped out of Pegasus's embrace and turned towards the cottage. "Mai! Anzu!" he called. "Sisters, come! Father has returned!"

Mai and Anzu stepped out of the cottage with puzzled expressions, but when they saw Pegasus at the top of the hill, they two ran up the slope and hugged the forlorn man. "Father!" they cried in delight.

It was dusk by the time Pegasus had unpacked his things and handed out his gifts to his three elated children, who were happier to see their father than to see the fine dresses, sparkling jewelry and the wonderful fineries. When Beauty received his singular white rose, he had been so enchanted by its beauty that he immediately hurried outside and planted it at his mother's grave. Though the sun was setting by that time, the flower took root nearly instantly and already a pretty little rose bush was growing under the tree.

It was at dinner, when Pegasus was implored to relate his story that he finally spoke of his world-weary travels. His children listened with broken hearts and tears in their eyes. When he arrived at the part about the mysterious mansion, Pegasus found himself unable to speak. Ryou, who sat on his father's left, reached out and gently squeezed the man's hand.

"Father, what is it? What troubles you?" he asked softly.

Pegasus was chocked with sorrow. "Oh my Beauty, I have made a deal with the devil for that rose you so sweetly desired."

Beauty and his sisters gasped, but they did not forsake him. "What was this deal, Father?"

"My gracious but absent host whose rose bushes I admired the morning after the storm made me promise that, in return for a rose, I must give him the first living thing that greets me when I return home." Pegasus turned his drawn, craven face to his youngest. "That's you, Beauty! And I thought it would be the dog."

Anzu stood up at this. "Father, you cannot give this…beast our Beauty!"

"Anzu's right!" Mai stood up in concord with her sister. "We cannot let Ryou go."

Pegasus looked up at his daughters with love. "But surely the beast will punish me if I don't give him what I promised."

"I'll go!" Anzu declared just as Mai said, "Take me to the Beast!"

Ryou stood as well and embraced both girls. "Sisters, I cannot let you go. Father made a promise and that promise he must keep. I shall go to the Beast. He does not seem very bad, for he let Father have the rose. This is just payment for the Beast's hospitality. Let me go."

The girls opened their mouths to protest, but Pegasus beat them to it. "Beauty! You have not seen him! He is not human and he will tear you apart. I cannot let you go; I refuse to hand over any of my beloved children to that monster!"

But Ryou would not let any of them convince him to stay and at last they had to give in. The next morning, Pegasus saddled up his horse again and, with a heavy heart, took his youngest child into the wood with him. Not surprisingly, the journey that had taken the desolate man more than a day to escape from the mansion was no more than a few short hours now to reach it. The trees surrounding the mansion cast a shadow over the place, creating a menacing picture as Pegasus helped Beauty off the horse. Engulfing his son in one final embrace, Pegasus finally tore himself away from Ryou and, with a heavy heart, climbed onto his horse and turned away without one backwards glance.

And now Ryou was at the mercy of the host of the ominous mansion, the so called "Beast."

_TBC…_

Though I described a little what the Beast looks like, who can guess for certain who he is? Remember, this doesn't necessarily have to be a _human_ character…but then again, it very well could be! Stay tuned for next time, when Beauty enters the mansion for the first time and meets the inhabitants…should be loads of fun! Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

Hi! This is my attempt at a humorous parody of "Beauty and the Beast" starring the YGO cast. I don't own them. Woe is me. Hope you enjoyed Chapter One!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just cast them in this story line that I don't own either. And I'm dirt poor. So don't sue me. You'll only be wasting your time.

Is This Your Mansion?

Chapter Two

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Though it was morning when he and Pegasus had left their home, and the journey had taken less than a day to reach the beast's domicile, the sky hovering above the mansion seemed locked in perpetual night. Venturing forth, shivering at the dreaded feeling in his stomach, Ryou resolved to be brave, for his father's sake at least.

The front door swung open as well when Ryou reached the house, inviting him with welcome light. Ryou too found the dining hall spread with the most inviting food, intoxicating aromas and tempting dishes. The seat at the head of the extensive table was pulled out for the boy and, blushing, Beauty shyly accepted the invitation. The plush of the velvet cushions were soft and comforting and, despite how his father spoke of the host, Ryou could not imagine life being so terrible in this palace of luxury the likes of which he had never laid his pretty brown eyes upon. Oh, but if his whole family were here- that was all this place lacked. Ryou already missed his sisters' smiles and laughs and love, and, despite how (coughdisturbingcough) his father could be when he called him "Beauty-boy," Ryou missed that too. Sighing because he knew he might never see them again, Beauty began to eat.

However, Ryou had not been at the table more than five minutes before he found himself unable to eat and, setting his fork down, he began to silently, heart-wrenchingly break down in sobs.

"Please don't cry," a voice pleaded at Ryou's shoulder suddenly, startling the boy. Glancing behind him in a panic, Beauty saw only an ornate mirror hanging on the wall behind him, his tear-streaked face looking back at him with a frightened expression.

Beauty wiped his eyes of his tears and sniffled. "W-who's there?" he squeaked.

"Hello," the voice spoke again, the voice coming from somewhere in the space between the mirror and Beauty. Ryou's eyes darted frantically around, but he again saw no one. The voice laughed softly. "Oh, I'm sorry. You can't see me."

"W-why can't I see you?" Ryou asked, his body starting to shiver with cold.

"Because I'm invisible."

"And why i-is that?"

The voice sighed. "Because we are all invisible. Everyone except _him_…and you, of course. You see, we are all under a curse placed upon us by a fairy ten years ago."

Ryou was even more startled than before. Invisible people! Who knew how many there were…and what happened if you walked through them? "Wh-who are you?"

The voice gasped in shock and Beauty worried for a moment that he had offended the invisible man in some way. "Oh how rude of me!" the voice spoke anxiously. "I am Yuugi. And what is your name?"

The voice, Yuugi, sounded friendly enough for Ryou to relax a little and even smile slightly at the empty air in front of him. "My name is Ryou, but I've always been called Beauty by Father and my sisters."

The voice giggled. "Beauty!" he exclaimed. "That's a wonderful name. It suits you very well."

Beauty blushed brightly on his pale white skin. "Thank you," he muttered, embarrassed.

Yuugi continued to giggle. "You're even prettier when you blush!" he proclaimed. Ryou turned bright red at that.

"Ah-hem," another voice spoke from the door. This time Ryou was not surprised to see only air standing there. "Yuugi, tell me I didn't just hear that."

"Jounouchi! How long have you been standing there?" Yuugi exclaimed.

"Long enough to know this guest of ours is 'prettier when he blushes'," the voice addressed Jounouchi growled.

There was the sound of a petulant stamp in the spot Beauty assumed Yuugi stood. "Oh Jou, don't get jealous! You're way prettier than Ryou is, I promise!"

"I'm invisible, Yuugi. And of course I'm jealous. Look at him; the kid is gorgeous!"

"Way to kill a person's ego you guys," a sarcastic voice remarked from somewhere down the table.

"Otogi!" the Yuugi and Jou voices cried in astonishment.

"How long have _you_ been there?" Yuugi questioned.

"Since Beauty arrived. I opened the door for him, then followed him in here to pull out his chair," the third voice replied smugly.

Beauty was starting to grow dizzy from all the voices and politely raised his hands to his ears. Immediately the talking ceased.

"Oh!" Yuugi gasped again. "How rude of us! Ryou isn't used to all of these invisible voices. And neither of you have been properly introduced to our guest." Suddenly Ryou felt hands gently pry his hands away from his face. "Beauty, I apologize for our rudeness. You have not been properly introduced to Jou or Otogi." Ryou heard footsteps creak across the floor. "Ryou, this voice is Jounouchi and he's…uh, he's a good friend of mine."

The third voice laughed. "Oh, just come out and say it Yuuge. You and Jou are lovers and we all know it." There was a movement of the table cloth as the voice turned to Ryou. "Beauty was it? Pleasure to meet you. I'm Otogi. Word of advice; avoid the third door on the left when you climb up the stairs any time between 4 and 9 in the evening- chances are, if you hear some…strange…noises coming from there, it's those two going at it. Not a pretty soundtrack, if you know what I mean. Yuugi's a screamer."

Beauty felt himself blush for Yuugi, whom he imagined would be blushing just as much were he visible. As Otogi laughed, there was a tap on Ryou's shoulder and Jou's voice whispering in his ear.

"Since Otogi gave you some advice, here's a pointer you'd be happy to keep in mind. Otogi and the stable hand Honda also happen to be together, so avoid the stables _at_ _all_ _times_. Otogi may be here now, but chances are in about thirty seconds he'll be gone to join Honda. And let me tell you, that is not a pretty sight; you see, Honda is not invisible. You don't want to walk in on them if you can avoid it." Ryou didn't think he could flush any brighter than he was now.

Abruptly, a soft hand grabbed Ryou's and pulled him out of his chair. "You must be exhausted!" Yuugi said. "I'll show you to your room. Do you prefer white or yellow?"

Beauty blinked in confusion. "Uh…" his brain could not conjure up a proper response, the idea of being pulled by an invisible person boggling his mind.

"Walls," Yuugi explained. "White or yellow walls."

"Er, white, I suppose," Ryou muttered.

"Excellent choice!" Yuugi said exuberantly, then started to drag the boy up the stairs. Ten minutes later they reached the top and Yuugi pulled Ryou down the left corridor, which was bright with soft pink wall paper. Curiously glancing behind him, Beauty shuddered at the sight of the right wing. It was dark and shadowed and caused a shiver to dance down Ryou's spine.

Yuugi seemed to see where Ryou was looking. "Oh, that's the West Wing," he muttered. "That's the Master's corridor. It is forbidden to go down there, do you understand?" Ryou nodded, then reluctantly tore his eyes away from the shadows.

When they reached the end of the hall Yuugi came to an abrupt halt and Ryou felt himself slam against the air. Yuugi let out a small "oof" and Ryou sighed in relief. He would never have to worry about walking through any of his new companions.

"Here we are," Yuugi whispered reverently, staring up at the gigantic wooden door carved with angels and depictions of what Ryou assumed was supposed to be Heaven. "This will be your room, Ryou. If you need anything, just call for us. You can stand out in the hall or on the stairwell and say a name. One of us will answer." The door opened of what seemed to be its own will and Yuugi let Ryou's hand drop. "This is as far as I go. Also, dinner is at six; Master will expect you down in the dining hall promptly at that time." Ryou was tenderly pushed through the doorway and then the door shut, closing Beauty in a world of white.

Or, at least, that's how it seemed at the time. The room was circular, with white walls and one long window running from one end of the room to the other, encompassing the room in white. A canopy bed sat in the middle of the room, with virgin snow sheets and an off-white canopy of the finest silk. The carpet, so think and soft Ryou's feet got lost in the comfort, reminded Beauty of walking on clouds. On one side of the door was a closet filled with white silk robes from the finest silkworm's web. On the other wall was a painting of a beautiful, but sad, woman with expressive blue eyes and gorgeous black hair and skin the finest shade of pale. She was smiling, but in her hand was a locket, clutched tightly in her hand, and her smile seemed sorrowful.

Ryou was entranced by the painting, forgetting his fatigue in an instant. As Beauty drank in the woman of the picture, he vaguely became aware of another presence in the room. "Hello?" he called softly.

"She was our mother," a voice spoke to Ryou's left. Turning, Ryou was staring at thin air again. "She was so beautiful, but so sad. At least, that's what brother says. He remembers her better than I do."

"Did she die…?" Ryou whispered.

"Yes, years ago. Ten years, to be precise. Brother changed, after that."

"Tell me," Ryou said, tearing his eyes finally from the painting, "what is your name?"

"I'm Mokuba. And you're the first person to walk into this room since my mother died. Brother never comes in here anymore."

"Your brother," Ryou spoke, walking towards the bed. "He is the master of this house?"

"That's right. He's the reason we are all invisible."

"Except himself."

"And you, of course," Mokuba said.

"And Honda, the stable hand." Ryou glanced over to where he thought Mokuba stood. "Tell me, why is that?"

"Oh, Honda came here about seven years ago. He had lost the love of his life, thinking he was dead until he found him here, quite alive-"

"But invisible," Ryou finished.

"That's right. Otogi was invisible. We were all rather disappointed when he arrived."

Ryou yawned, leaning back into the pillows on the bed. "Why is that?" he asked, his eyes fighting his curiosity to close and surrender to sleep.

There was soft laughter. "Perhaps we'll tell you later, when you're awake."

Ryou nodded. "I suppose that's agreeable."

The sheets on the bed were lifted, then tucked around the boy. "By the way, what is your name?" Mokuba asked as Ryou settled into the bed, preparing for sleep.

"I'm…" Ryou yawned again. "…Beauty."

_TBC…_

Hmm, that _was_ a lot of fun! I love that I got Wishshipping and Chaseshipping in here! That was cool. So, as for the "Beast"…if you couldn't guess who it was from the first chapter, I bet you know now, huh? Well, last chance to guess! Also, predictions as to why everyone is invisible would be acceptable (I actually do want to know where you guys think the story is going!)

We'll be meeting the rest of the inhabitants of the mansion next chapter and Ryou will encounter the Beast for the first time! Some possible Yuugi/Jou fluff as well as Otogi/Honda fluff. Until next time!

Note: From now on, this will be a biweekly story- I have written up to Chapter 6, and I want to always stay ahead of this story. So please don't ask me to update quickly- the next update will not be until the 20th.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi! This is my attempt at a humorous parody of "Beauty and the Beast" starring the YGO cast. I kidnapped YnBakura. I'm that desperate to own them. Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just cast them in this story line that I don't own either. And I'm dirt poor. So don't sue me. You'll only be wasting your time.

Is This Your Mansion?

Chapter Three

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The white room was filled with shadows when Beauty opened his eyes. The shades were drawn and, through the slit in the curtains, Ryou saw the last light of the fading sun. Stretching, Ryou yawned then frowned. He was not at home. Where was this strange place? And then he remembered. He was in the Beast's mansion.

"Sleep well?" Mokuba spoke. There was a candle floating about four feet from the floor. The candle's permeating light cast a strange shadow against the white curtains and Beauty realized with fascination that it was Mokuba.

Beauty nodded at the candle. "Yes, thank you. What time is it?"

"Quarter to six. You must get ready for dinner."

Ryou sighed. He missed his family more and more and his anger at the Beast increased with his homesickness. Defiantly, Ryou stuck his chin out and said, "What if I'm not hungry?"

Mokuba gasped, then laid his invisible hand on Ryou's shoulder. "Please go down to dinner Beauty! The Master will be very upset if you don't."

"Well, I'm upset. I've lost my family in one day. Therefore, my appetite is lacking right now."

Mokuba sighed, then moved away from the bed, his candle floating sadly towards the door. "Is that your decision?" he asked.

Ryou nodded. "It is. Go tell your master that and see how he likes it."

"Please don't make me tell him that Beauty," Mokuba whispered. "You don't know the Master's temper. Please don't make me go."

"Then have someone else tell him. But I refuse to eat dinner with him."

Mokuba did not argue again, the door opening and the candle stepping out into the corridor. The wooden doors shut again, leaving Ryou in darkness.

Minutes ticked by as Beauty waited in his throne on the bed. Finally, when the sun was nearly gone, Ryou heard a fierce sound rushing down the hall towards his door. A moment later, there was a furious bang on the door. "Why won't you come to dinner?" a voice roared. Ryou knew immediately; this was him, the Beast.

"I'm not hungry!" Beauty bravely yelled back.

"What do you mean, you are not hungry?" the voice said.

"I won't eat with you!"

"You won't eat with me? Why not?" the beast growled. "I demand you come out for dinner!" There was some whispering in the hall, then, in a gritty, forced voice, he said. "It would please me greatly if you joined me for dinner."

Ryou's response was immediate.

"No!"

"Come down to dinner!...please."

"I don't want to eat with you!"

"Fine, if you won't eat with me, then you shall eat nothing!" A smaller voice from beyond the door let out a small meep. "That door is not to open," the beast spoke to the other person, "until he agrees to dine with me!" Then the beast retreated down the hall and, tentatively, the door opened again, a floating candle darting quickly inside before the great oak slabs closed.

Ryou sat up in his bed. "Mokuba?" he whispered.

"Oh Beauty, you really should not have done that. Master is angry now." Mokuba sighed sadly, approaching the bed and placing the candle down on the table beside Ryou.

Beauty shook his head. "I don't care about him," he said.

Mokuba sank down on the bed covers, the only evidence of his invisible body an intend in the blankets. "But if you got to know him, I'm sure you would feel differently."

"I don't want to get to know him. I don't want anything to do with him!"

Mokuba sighed and Ryou shivered as warm breath moved against his cheek. "Beauty, you asked how we became invisible. Let me tell you now.

"Ten years ago, when I was still a small child, my brother witnessed our mother die. She…threw herself from the tower balcony into the garden, into a bush of roses. Our mother was driven mad from sorrow. My brother was never the same after that, shutting himself up in his room for weeks without end. He would see no one, not even me.

"But then, Christmas came, and my brother finally emerged from his room to preside over the ceremonies. It was a duty our mother had performed when she was alive. Christmas was a cheerless holiday that year.

"Halfway through the Christmas feast, there was a knock on the door. Otogi stood to answer it but the Master told him he would answer the door himself. There, in the middle of a snowstorm, stood a frail, ugly old woman who begged for some shelter from the cold. We were all prepared to welcome the woman, when my brother said, 'Hag, don't come here looking for charity. Go freeze in the snow; your ugliness will do you in if the cold does not.' And then he slammed the oak door on the poor woman. We returned to dinner, but none of us, save the Master, still had appetite enough to eat.

"Fifteen minutes later, there was again a knock on the door and again, my brother rose to get it before Otogi had time to place his fork on the table. We all scrambled into the hall and again saw the old woman. Again, she begged to be let in. The Master sent her away. We returned to dinner, even more sickened by the thought of that woman freezing on our doorstep.

"Half an hour later, there was thrice a knock on the door. My brother ran to answer the door. We followed once more, wondering if he would finally have pity on the poor woman.

"She was no less frozen than the first time she knocked on the door, but this time she held a single red rose in her hand. 'Young man,' she addressed my brother. 'Please accept this rose in return for some shelter in your home.'

"But the moment the Master saw the rose he froze. 'Old, wretched hag,' he said. 'I will not give shelter to an ugly, pathetic corpse such as you. If you think that rose could possibly divert my attention from your horrid appearance, you are mistaken. Nothing could blind me to your ugly face.' And then he started to close the door on her for the third and final time.

"But then, there was a blinding light and the old woman was gone. In her place stood a beautiful lady, with piercing blue eyes and long black hair that fell to her toes. She wore a long white robe brighter than the snow. My brother fell to his knees at the lady's appearance. There were gasps all around me and Yuugi, who stood beside me, whispered faintly, 'Mistress!'

"My brother tried to apologize but it was too late. The lady would not listen. 'Three times I gave you a chance to show me compassion,' she said, her musical voice wretched with sorrow and anger. 'Three times you have shown me you know not what compassion is. Your heart is black and wicked, cruel and without love. Since you rejected me in my other form, simply because I was ugly, I place a curse on you and your household!'

"'For ten years your mansion shall be hid in the deepest forest, where only the unfortunate will pass. All pathways will lead to this place and any who come you must feed, cloth, and shelter. You are bound to this and cannot escape, no matter who they are nor what they look like.'

"'Beyond this, all who reside in this house shall be invisible and they will remain this way for ten years. As for you, because you have no love in your heart, you shall be a creature of darkness and ugliness that any who lay eyes on you shall cry out in fright and call you beast.'

"The Master cried out in dread and horror. I always loved my brother, but I could not help but pity him at that moment."

Ryou shivered. "'A creature of darkness…'?" he repeated fearfully.

"Beauty, it is not what is on the outside…right?" Mokuba asked, laying his invisible hand on Ryou's arm.

Ryou sighed. "…but what's on the inside…?"

Elsewhere in the mansion…

"Jou? We're to clear the table off immediately!" Yuugi said through the opening in the kitchen door.

"What?" the Jou voice cried by the candle on the table. His shadow on the cabinets stood up in surprise. "But it's only five after the hour! Nobody could eat that fast!"

"That coming from you is nearly laughable," a voice from the corner spoke.

"Very funny Malik. What are you doing in here anyway? Thought you were supposed to help Rishid with the drapes."

The voice from the corner advanced towards Jounouchi. "Isis said she needed me in the kitchen. Something about Shizuka being busy. How is your lovely little sister anyway?"

"Don't get any ideas in your head, Malik-" Jou growled. Yuugi sighed as, from the door, he watched two shadows bristle defensively. Then Malik shrugged.

"I'm not," he said. "Besides, Rishid would have something to say about that if I did."

Jou's shadow shuddered. 'That still bothers me sometimes," he muttered.

Jou could practically see that familiar smirk, though he hadn't seen it in nearly ten years. "Yeah, but at least we aren't blood, you know? Just spiritually. Must be why we're so compatible."

"Jou!" Yuugi called again from the door. "The table!"

"I'm coming, Yuugi." Footsteps led to the door, which opened wide for a moment, then swung closed behind the two servants. Malik, alone in the kitchen, sank down on the bench and ate half-heartedly at the bread Jou abandoned.

As he sat there, the back door opened and Honda walked inside, leaving his shoes out on the step so not to track the dirt inside. Malik sat still as Honda rummaged around for some food. He placed the bread back on the plate and watched.

A moment later, another door opened and a shadow stepped inside the room bearing a candle. "Hello Honda," the voice spoke.

Honda turned in the direction of the candle. "Good evening Shizuka. How are you this evening?"

"Oh, very good. Did you hear the news? There's a boy in the mansion!"

Honda nodded. "Yes, Ryuuji told me earlier. I hear he's supposed to be…very pretty."

"Yes, very pretty! His name is Beauty! Honda, I think he's come to break the spell!" Shizuka said, setting the candle down on the counter and throwing her invisible arms around Honda's neck.

"What?" Malik exclaimed from his seat, startling the pair. "There's a boy in the house? This is the first I heard the news!"

"That's why we have to clear the table," Yuugi said as he walked through the door carrying a large platter topped with steaming food. "He refused to dine with the Master."

A tangible gasp filled the room and, could they be seen, Shizuka and Malik's faces probably showed as much surprise and fear as Honda's face did.

"No!"

"Impossible!"

"The impertinence!"

Yuugi nodded. "Yes, I know. But imagine; the boy was forced to come here. It was not of his own free will, though had he decided not to come the Master could not have stopped him."

Honda nodded. "That's right…"

"We are bound to the mansion," Shizuka whispered.

"We can never leave," added Malik sadly.

"Only if the spell were broken," Yuugi said, "would that be possible."

"But that will never happen, for who could ever learn to love a beast?"

_TBC…_

Well, the plot thickens! I lied, sort of, in saying that Ryou would "encounter" the Beast, but hopefully this was acceptable to everyone. Next chapter anticipate Ryou coming face to face with the Beast, meeting more mansion servants, and Ryou eating! Until then, looking forward to hearing from you!


	4. Chapter 4

Hi! This is my attempt at a humorous parody of "Beauty and the Beast" starring the YGO cast. By the way, it's a great movie, but so short! Gaston says screw once in the film!

Note: All the name spellings I got are from Lomelindi's "Come What May", which she got from an online translation of the manga. So no, they are not the spellings of Viz Media's English translation (Akunadin is totaly unpronouncable the way thay spelled it!)

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just cast them in this story line that I don't own either. And I'm dirt poor. So don't sue me. You'll only be wasting your time.

Is This Your Mansion?

Chapter Four

---

Akunadin served in the mansion all his life, dutifully, loyally and without complaint. Now he was an old, invisible man witnessing the house he loved fall into disgrace under the watchful yet sorrowful eyes of the boy he thought of as son. It broke the old man's heart every day.

The mansion was split into three sections or "wings"; on the first floor, the left wing held the dining room and kitchens, while the right wing was a large dusty ballroom. In the center wing, which extended back from the front entrance to the back of the gardens, housed the servants' quarters. All three wings met at the grand hall entrance and the magnificent stairway lined with velvet red carpet that led to the second floor.

On this floor, the left section, called the "east wing," was lined with guestrooms furnished but never used. At the end of this hall resided the mistress's bedroom where Ryou slept peacefully, almost blissfully, in his dreams. The center section was the "south wing" and was, in truth, a long hallway leading to an extensive library. In the morning hours, the hall was gorgeous with sunlight shining through far-reaching windows stretching all along the corridor.

No servant other than Akunadin ever went farther than the third room in the "west wing" of the second floor. The Master's chamber lay at the end of the wing, ominous and absolutely forbidden. The windows on this wing had long been drawn shut and the master never allowed candlelight here. The carpet, once a proud blue velvet hue, was torn and worn down to the wood foundations. Paintings lining the walls were violently ripped across the middle, canvas hanging down in distorted faces. Furniture from the branching rooms had been dragged into the corridor and smashed into pieces. And the Master's room itself…Akunadin never mentioned.

Now, as he walked down the hall, the grandfather clock on the first floor proclaiming it was half past eight, Akunadin sighed with desolation. The bed from a guest room, previously whole and happy to stay that way, was now strewn across the hall in many different red oak parts. The old man sorely wished his young master could learn different anger management techniques. They were running out of chairs.

The Master's bedroom door was shut and it took Akunadin ten minutes to push the heavy wood back enough for him to enter. Immediately a gruff voice barked at him. "Who is that?"

"Master, it is Akunadin."

"Oh, Akunadin, come in."

"Yes sir." With a feeble grace, Akunadin felt his way farther into the room towards the window leading out to a lonely balcony. A form, hidden in the darkness, stood near there by a small round table. On the table, there was a glass jar and beneath the glass jar, a wilting, withering rose. Every time he saw that rose, Akunadin felt a little more like it. He too, felt himself dying over the past ten years. "Master, why did you not eat?"

"He wouldn't eat with me."

"The boy?" Akunadin asked gently. The figure nodded. "You must be patient and try to be kind. You cannot lose your temper like you did."

"But, I don't know how. The curse…"

Akunadin placed an invisible hand on the beast's forearm. "Then you must learn to fight the curse, my son."

The form sighed. "Do I look like a beast to you, Akunadin?"

"…No. Never, Seto."

The beast lifted the glass covering and caressed the rose's remaining petals. "When the rose is dead and the curse is still upon me, I'm going to toss myself off that balcony and die as well."

"Don't say that, please!" Akunadin pleaded, clutching to the arm.

"I've resolved myself to this fate. I will always look like a beast."

"Mas-"

"No one could ever love me, Akunadin." The beast raised his head and smiled sadly. "We both know that."

Akunadin bowed his head as the form left the darkness and stepped out onto the balcony. Tears formed in his invisible eyes and fell onto the enchanted flower. "_I_ love you, Seto my son," he whispered, then swept out of the desolate refuge.

In another part of the mansion…

"Jou, I think we're alone now."

"But we're not alone. You're with me," Jou said, confused. Yuugi simply laughed.

"I mean no one else is around. We're…_alone_, Jounouchi my love, my beauty, my prey."

A shadow backed up nervously, stopping only when its counterpart hit the bed with his legs. "You're creepy when you talk like that Yuugi…"

"Creepy-scary or creepy-sexy?"

Jou laughed nervously as a hand he couldn't see started to remove clothes he could not see. "A strange combination of both," he admitted as his shirt flew across the room, now visible in its green glory, and landed three feet in midair, turning invisible again.

"Who's there?" Yuugi snapped, immediately on his guard.

A cough, then the shirt fell to the floor. "Pardon my presence, youngsters, but I was about to go to bed. Obviously you two had a similar idea in mind?"

"Shimon!" Yuugi exclaimed. "You scared me!"

"As much as you were 'scaring' Mr. Jounouchi just a moment ago?" Shimon asked.

"Uh…definitely not that much." Yuugi lifted a candle from the night-table and lit it, illuminating the three shadows against the walls. Jou's shadow scrambled across the room and picked up his shirt near Shimon, an old man who stood at about four feet and was a servant of the mansion for nearly as long as Akunadin. The younger servants often saw the old men as foster fathers, uncles, and grandfathers, wise in their ways but also the people most likely to frown upon their nighttime activities as well.

Once Jou slipped his shirt back on, the three stood still, calculating the next move. Finally, Shimon coughed. "Well, I'm off to bed," he said cheerfully enough and crossed the room to the bed. Lifting the sheets, the mattress sank down and the covers wrapped around an invisible old body. Neither Jou nor Yuugi had moved. "It would do you both good to remember which room is your own, or has our collective invisibility addled your young minds?"

Jou laughed and practically ran to the door, pulling his little lover along with him. "Indeed! Thank you, Shimon, for the advice. Must be all the excitement about our guest and all. Well, have a good sleep! See you in the morning!"

Shimon laughed back, and then sighed wearily. "Love doesn't happen that soon, young man. But yes, 'see' you both in the morning."

Some hours later, in a separate part of the mansion…

Ryou sat up quietly in his bed, the light Mokuba had brought up with him long extinguished. It was hours after dinner was cleared and the young man was sadly beginning to regret refusing the beast's offer of food. Glancing around the room, Ryou tried to make out Mokuba and faintly heard deep steady breathing from across the room. Determining that Mokuba was indeed asleep, Beauty crept out of bed and out the room.

Two doors down from the prison of Ryou's bedroom, a light was on and voices alerted him to be quiet as he walked down the hall. However, upon hearing a loud shriek of mirth, Beauty decided whoever was supposed to keep watch on him was otherwise occupied.

"Oh, Rishid, right _there_!" the shriek turned into a happy moan.

"But Malik, we're supposed to watch the prisoner and make sure he does not leave his room," a second voice reluctantly protested.

"Oh don't be silly," the first voice said. "The only ones who are awake at this ungodly hour are you and me, and possibly Isis, Ra _knows_ what a neat-freak she is. I say, since we're up, we might as well make the most of our time together."

There was a sigh, then, "Oh, al_right_, though how I let you get away with such crappy excuses only Hathor knows."

A giggle and, "Hathor _would_ know, wouldn't she?"

"Oh shut up and get over here. If we're going to waste our time-mmf!" And then the talking ceased altogether, replaced with blush-inducing moans.

Ryou easily crept down the rest of the hallway and made his way down the stairs and into the dining room. There, a solitary candle was lit and by it Beauty saw a shadow against the window, which instantly sat up as the person saw Ryou. "What are you doing down here?" a voice snapped.

"Um, excuse me?" Ryou said, shrinking back into the shadows. "Um, I was kind of hungry."

Another voice, from a door leading to the kitchen, snickered. "Do you hear that Mahado? He's _hungry_."

"Yes, Karimu, I heard him," the first voice said wearily. A chair was pushed back and the voice called Mahado stood up. "You must be the guest everyone is talking about. I am Mahado and that invisible mass is Karimu. Please excuse his sarcasm; that's just how he is." The door where Karimu's voice came from opened, spilling light into the dining room. "Isis, are you in here?"

A female voice replied. "Yes, Mahado?"

"Our guest is hungry. You don't suppose you could make him something to eat?"

"But the Master said-" Karimu began to protest.

"We're not going to let him go starving Karimu!" the female voice said. "Of course I can make him something Mahado. It won't be much, but it should stave his hunger until morning."

Ryou, who had slowly inched his way into the room during the conversation, was now standing beside the table. The door he walked through opened behind him and strong hands propelled him to an empty seat, where he was pushed down with a small "eep!"

"Mahado, I'm surprised you did not offer our guest a seat," the voice that belonged to the strong hands said over Ryou's head.

"Shadi! Are you awake too?" Karimu exclaimed. "My, this is becoming quite the little party!"

"Good evening, Shadi," Mahado greeted more kindly.

The kitchen door opened again and a plate floated over to Beauty's seat. "It's not much, but it's food," the Isis voice said as she placed the dish on the table. There was a ham sandwich on the plate and Ryou immediately took a bite. "And good evening Shadi; I hope we did not wake you," she added to the man behind Beauty.

"I actually came here to tell you about your brothers, Isis," Shadi spoke up, moving from behind Ryou's seat to sit down in the chair beside him. Another chair was pulled out and Isis sat down as well.

"Oh? What about Malik and Rishid?" she asked.

Karimu began to laugh before Shadi could speak. "Of course! The two little lovebirds were supposed to keep watch over our dear guest! They must have neglected their post for…alternate activities."

Mahado cleared his throat as a warning to Karimu as Beauty felt his face flush with embarrassment. "Shadi, what was it you had to say?" he asked.

"Malik and Rishid, uh, woke me up when one of them fell on the floor. They must have been right above me, because I heard the noise from my ceiling. I thought to tell you before they woke the whole house with their noises," Shadi said neutrally.

"Oh!" The chair Isis was sitting on fell to the ground. "Those two idiots! It's Malik's fault really; it always is. I guess I'll have to talk to them about this."

"I'll go with you, Isis. It won't do if the Master hears them." Mahado added.

"My my, it is getting around that time, isn't it?" Karimu remarked.

Isis gasped. "It's almost two! Shadi-"

However, before she could complete her sentence, Shadi stood from his chair and shoved Ryou's plate away. The boy had barely finished his sandwich before he was pulled up out of his seat. "Come, it's time for bed," Shadi said and dragged Ryou out of the dining room by his arm. Ryou, eyes wide, did not protest as he was led forcefully up by the stairs.

Voices echoed down the hall, one ringing clearly to Beauty and his invisible escort on the velvet steps. "RISHID!" came down the stairs and through the house, shrill to the pair's ears. Ryou cringed as Shadi cursed under his breath.

"Those imbeciles!" Shadi surprisingly let Ryou's arm down. "I have to shut those two up; I expect you to get to your room immediately!" Ryou felt the air beside him move quickly up the stairs and then he was alone.

Beauty cautiously climbed up the rest of the stairs, pausing at the top. He could hear Shadi down the left wing, with small interjections from whom he assumed were Malik and Rishid. Glancing down the hall that led to his bedroom and prison, Ryou sighed. Did he really want to return to captivity that soon?

Beauty then turned his head to the right wing. Dark, mysterious and forbidden- the Master's wing, the West wing. An involuntary shiver crawled up his spine, but curiosity got the better of Ryou's chills and, silently, he crept down the hallway.

There was broken furniture everywhere and shadows bouncing eerily over the walls and carpet. Paintings ripped and mirrors shattered, with drawn windows and no candles cemented Beauty's impression of a bestial monster waiting at the end of the corridor. Ryou's heart began to beat faster as he approached the dark door at the end, open just enough for a man to slip through. Ryou crept past the door.

Moonlight spilled into the decaying room from a large window leading to a balcony. In front of the window, glowing from the light, stood a rose that called to Ryou. Unable to control himself, Beauty gracefully wound his way towards the table. His pale, delicate hand reached out to lift the glass covering just as a clock chimed somewhere in the distance. As his hand fell to the glass jar, a figure moved out of the shadows and grabbed his fingers. Beauty yelped in pain as his fingers were crushed by the powerful hand.

"Why are you here?" an icy voice asked. Ryou shivered.

"I-I was m-merely curious," he stammered.

There was a silence and Ryou stared resolutely at his crushed digits. "Look at me," the cold voice commanded.

Hesitantly, Ryou looked up. He gasped.

There was a man with a pale face framed by immaculate brown hair. A strong jaw and soft pink lips. The man stood proud in the moonlight. He wore a dark cerulean coat and a black vest over a white ruffled shirt. The only word to describe the man was beautiful. Yet, it wasn't the man's beauty that made Ryou gasp, but his eyes – cold, uncaring, hateful blue eyes.

It was him. It had to be. The Beast!

_TBC…_

Hathor- I do believe she is the Egyptian goddess of love and…drunkenness? Yes, I'm pretty sure that's right…mheh, and why it's there? Felt like it. That's all.

So, the Beast is named and Ryou meets him face to face! All the servants have made their appearances too (so who shall be Gaston?) The plot thickens in the next chapter and more of Seto's curse shall be revealed! Until then, tell me how surprised you were by this chapter!

P.S. About seme!Yuugi earlier...it's samurai-ashes' fault! ("Giddy as a School-girl"- great seme!Yuugi uke!Jou...)


	5. Chapter 5

Hi! This is my attempt at a humorous parody of "Beauty and the Beast" starring the YGO cast.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just cast them in this story line that I don't own either. And I'm dirt poor. So don't sue me. You'll only be wasting your time.

Note: Sorry for making you all wait three weeks for this chapter! This is probably my favorite as well...I was traveling last Friday and that's my excuse. What this means is that next week, you get Chapter Six! So delays have their perks. Enjoy!

Is This Your Mansion?

Chapter Five

---

Five minutes passed in a moment that felt like five hours as the Beast glared down at Beauty. Neither spoke, frozen in silence as though that cold voice and those cold eyes held some power over the room. Ryou's fingers turned numb in the crushing grip.

Finally, in a timid voice, Ryou spoke. "P-please, could you l-let go of my hand? You're h-hurting my fingers."

"The west wing is forbidden," the cold voice said. Ryou shrunk away from him, but surprisingly his hand was released. His hand fell to the glass and Ryou quickly pulled it away, as though the glass burnt his skin. "You would do well to remember that."

Ryou backed away from the man they called Beast, only to trip over the remains of a red oak chair. The man's blue eyes watched in scrutiny as the young man tried desperately to stand up. Ryou scrambled over the broken wood and managed to throw his body back to its feet, but the momentum threw his weight towards the table holding the rose. Beauty just managed to grab the edge of the table before he fell onto the polished surface and unknowingly pushed the glass cover over the side. The man standing idly by the table dove quickly, trying to catch the glass and the rose. He managed to save the flower, but the covering crashed to the floor and burst into a million tiny pieces of light.

Ryou gasped and took a step back, careful not to fall again. "I'm sorry about the glass!"

The man- Ryou realized with a sudden flash of clarity he did not know his name- unbent his body cradled around the precious dying flower until he was once again standing at his full, frightening, height. His face twisted in a horrible expression as the cold voice hissed in a tone more dangerous than a shout, "You clumsy-! If the rose had- Do you realize what you could have done!"

"I-I'm sorry," Ryou whispered again, moving back through the room.

"Get out," the man yelled, advancing quickly on the scared boy, the rose still clutched to his chest. "Get out of my house!"

Ryou gasped, his eyes wide in fright, then turned and ran out of the room, slamming the doors behind him. As he reached the stairs he heard voices talking and slowed enough not to run into the invisible servants.

"What-"

"Sir-"

"The Master!"

Ryou ignored the voices as he ran down the east wing and burst into the white room, where a lit candle hovered in the air.

"Beauty, what's the commotion?" Mokuba asked, his voice anxious. "Where were you?"

Ryou paused in grabbing his cloak to stare at the candle. "I…I got hungry."

The shadow on the wall shivered and the candle's light wavered in the air. "D-did the Master find out? Is that what the yelling was about?"

"No, I…went down the west wing."

Mokuba gasped. "Beauty, that's forbidden!"

Ryou frowned and pulled his cloak around his shoulders. "I don't care if it is! And besides, I- I'm not staying here."

The candle fell to the floor and an invisible hand clutched at Ryou's arm. "Beauty, don't leave! You mustn't leave!"

"He told me to go, so I'll be more than obliging and do just that." Ryou tentatively placed his hand on Mokuba's. "Thank you for everything but, promise or no promise, I can't stay here any longer. Good bye." Then Ryou ran back down the hall and down the stairs where more voices greeted him.

"Ryou, where are you going?" That was Yuugi, Beauty thought vaguely as he pushed the man aside.

"What's all the racket?" sounded like Mahado as Ryou ran past the dining room. Hands grabbed at his arms, trying to hold him back.

"Beauty, are you trying to leave?" It was Jounouchi's voice and Jou's hands holding his left arm. Ryou nodded vaguely as the second pair of hands spoke.

"But you can't leave! Jou, you know he can't leave!" Otogi exclaimed.

Ryou shook both men off. "Oh, but I must leave! Your Master ordered me to and so I'm leaving!"

"Akunadin, do something!" Isis shrieked from the dining room doorway. Footsteps sounded along the hallway towards Ryou, but he ran to the large front door and dashed out into the freezing night before anyone else could stop him.

The weather was brutal with heavy raindrops falling down from the sky like arrows, piercing through the thin fabric of Beauty's clothes. Shivering, Ryou pulled his cloak tighter around him and headed towards the forest. The journey from home only lasted less than an hour; surely, then, it should not take long to navigate back.

An hour later and the rain had turned to hail, the forest was thicker as opposed to thinning and Beauty realized that he was utterly lost. And then, just when he thought the trees were finally starting to part and he could see light up ahead, Ryou fell into the freezing depths of a hidden lake. Seaweed twisted around his legs and the water-soaked clothes pulled him down into the murky below.

Back up at the mansion, everyone save Honda stood in the main hall, staring at each other's shadows. Ten years of invisible companions made each servant skilled in detecting each other, by shadows, by shuffles, and even by nervous coughs. Now, Malik standing beside Rishid on the stairs, let a telltale throat-clearing out into the silence.

"It's all your fault, Ishtar," Jounouchi growled. "You were supposed to be watching him!"

"Oh shut up, poodle. You and Otogi didn't do such a great job of keeping him here. You're both strong men, or have you shriveled since I last saw you?" Malik spat back.

"Why I oughta," Jou began, but he didn't. Everyone knew Yuugi held him back.

"What about you, Shadi? Did a great job of getting him to bed, didn't you?" Karimu snapped from the dining room doorway.

"I had to stop Rishid and Malik before they woke the Master," Shadi said.

"Would have been better if they had woken him up than our dearly departed guest," Otogi argued.

"But they wouldn't have woken him up if they had been doing their jobs like they were supposed to!" Jou said.

"Stop barking about it, pooch. Don't tell me you and Yuugi wouldn't have gotten a little frisky if you two were assigned the post instead," Malik sneered.

"I've had enough of your damn dog jokes, Ishtar. If I could see you right now, I'd punch your lights out for it!"

"Big words from you Jou," Malik laughed. "Too bad that won't be happening soon."

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Jou snapped.

"Oh please, stop it!" Isis, standing beside Mahado in the shadows of the hall, pleaded. "Arguing gets us nowhere."

"Isis is right; it doesn't matter whose fault it is," Yuugi said. "Beauty is gone."

"I wish there was something we could do," Shizuka's soft voice said.

"Akunadin, why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you do anything?" Isis asked mournfully. "Our last chance."

Another silence fell upon them as the grandfather clock chimed the time- an hour passed since Ryou stepped into the Master's chambers and reached for a rose. An old sigh, fatigued but not from lack of hope. Akunadin spoke. "I'm going up to speak with the Master. I suggest you all get to bed. We all have work to do in the morning."

"But who could sleep?" Mahado asked as a frail shadow crept up the stairs. "I certainly won't be able to." Others voiced their assent, an uneasiness setting in the air. Then, they all felt a great calm, like a fatherly smile warming their friend's face.

"Have you all forgotten? The forest won't let him go so easy. Now if you'll excuse me, it's important that I see the Master immediately." His footsteps disappeared up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, moonlight flooded the landing, pouring in from the south wing windows. Akunadin paused to bathe in the might for a moment, then turned and walked down the west wing corridor, leaving the moon behind as he descended further towards the Beast's sanctuary.

The doors were closed tight as usual and the old man struggled with the heavy wood. As a clock struck the first quarter of the hour, Akunadin finally slipped inside. Time was wasting. Walking carefully through the room past wrecked chairs, dressers and tables familiar to him, Akunadin quickly made it to the table with the rose. But the flower was no longer protected by the glass covering and sprinkles of sharp glass shards on the floor told him why. The Master was not standing watch, so Akunadin passed the table with no more than a glance and stepped out onto the balcony.

There, washed with moonlight, stood a horrendous, black creature with small, bat like wings protruding from a hunched back. A dark navy coat and white dress shirt covered most of the creature's furry anatomy, while black pants concealed hairy wolf legs. However, the paws- it had neither hands nor feet, yet miraculously stood as a human would- were bare and showed dangerous, flesh-ripping claws. The face was that of a dark lion and vicious fangs like those of a hyena grinned awkwardly from a fearsome snout. But the blue eyes were sad and kind.

"Seto, my son, what are you doing out here?" Akunadin whispered.

"I drove him from this house, like so many others. Is it my fate to always be ugly?" The creature asked in a mournful voice.

Akunadin laid an invisible hand on the paw. "No, my son, you must not think like that. Besides, the rose is not dead, and he has not escaped yet."

The monstrous face turned away from the kind-hearted servant. "But would it be right to drag him back here and keep him as my prisoner? I couldn't do that."

"No, but what if you rescued him from almost certain death? Then he would have no choice but to repay you by staying here, at least for a little while."

He looked up, eyes alarmed. "Death? What do you mean, Akunadin?"

"He is running through the forest now, as we speak. But shortly, the forest will swallow him alive. If you leave now, you may be able to save him."

The Beast ran to the window, then paused and looked back. "How do I find him?"

"Use your senses, Seto. You'll find him. The forest wants that to happen."

Seto grinned, a grotesque yet oddly touching sight. And then, he was gone. Akunadin fell to his knees in relief. "I am too old for this," he muttered.

Seto ran from the house, past a gathering of surprised servants and out into the cold. The rain had stopped above the house but as he entered the forest, hailstones beat mercilessly upon his black fur. Dashing through the trees, Seto barely noticed the falling of the icy stones, and shook them off like dry leaves.

He ran through the forest for what seemed forever but was really only a minute when a lake of murky black sprang before his path. The water rippled as though disturbed only recently and there, on the surface of the lake lingered the bright white hair of Beauty. Seto did not hesitate as he plunged into the freezing water after the young man. Wrenching his legs from the seaweed, Seto dragged Ryou out of the water and swam back to shore.

The boy had fainted in the water and as Seto placed his body on the shore, he almost mistook him for dead. But Seto watched him closely and caught the slight movement of his slender chest. Lifting Ryou gently in his arms, he slowly made his way back to the mansion. Ryou slept the entire time.

Except, as they traveled through the forest, Beauty's eyes opened for a second. All he saw were gentle, warm eyes before he succumbed to darkness again.

_TBC…_

Aw, just a little bit of fluff at the end, and a whole lot of excitement throughout! I'm really fond of this chapter, mainly because of the dog jokes. I love Malik for them, even though I was the one who really came up with them. So next chapter Ryou meets Honda and sees the Beast at breakfast! I cannot wait (even though it's already written!) Until then!


	6. Chapter 6

1Hi! This is my attempt at a humorous parody of "Beauty and the Beast" starring the YGO cast. Note the emphasis put on attempt.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just cast them in this story line that I don't own either (though the slight variations, like Ryou drowning? They're all mine.) Moreover, I'm dirt poor. So don't sue me. You'll only be wasting your time.

Is This Your Mansion?

Chapter Six

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When Ryou woke up again, the shades in the white, circular room were flung open, inviting bright sunlight to pour inside. The sheer canopy of the bed created a shimmering veil of white around Beauty. Sitting up, Ryou moaned and covered his eyes. The light, though a welcome change from the night's darkness, hurt. "Mokuba?" he called.

Mokuba lifted a corner of the canopy and sat down on the bed. "Yes, Beauty?"

Ryou fell back on the pillows and sighed. "Mokuba, what happened last night? I can't remember anything past running out of the house. How did I get back here?"

"Master rescued you from drowning and brought you back here," Mokuba said. "You were soaked and wet. We were so afraid you would never come back."

Ryou nodded slowly, his face solemn with thought. Then, looking up, he asked, "What time is it?"

"A quarter to ten. Will you be eating breakfast with the Master?" Mokuba's voice was cheerful, hopeful of a more pleasant response than the one he got the night before. Ryou did not answer, so Mokuba felt compelled to add, "He did save your life, Beauty."

Ryou sat up. "All right, I'll eat with him. It's the least I can do."

Mokuba patted Beauty's hands happily. "Wonderful! Now, we must get you dressed. The clothes you wore yesterday are being washed at the moment." Feet scurried over to the closet and clothes seemed to fling themselves out, falling like silk cranes to the ground. Mokuba seemed to have a certain outfit in mind for Ryou; he only hoped it was not a woman's outfit.

"Ah ha!" Mokuba cried at last. "Found it." Something white and soft folded over an invisible arm and rushed over to the bedside. There, Mokuba held up the hanger and Ryou saw what was something unmistakably feminine, yet he did not object to wearing the outfit. A white silk shirt with a v-neck cut and long white silk pants with a drawstring at the top hung on the hanger floating in midair.

Ryou smiled. "Oh, it looks lovely," he said.

Mokuba placed the clothes on the bed and stepped away- an indent in the carpet gave him away. "It was my mother's," he said, then walked out the door. Minutes later Ryou followed him out the door, white silk covering his body like a cloud. Mokuba silently squealed at the sight. Beauty, unaware of Mokuba, floated past him and down the hall to the stairs. He walked down the grand staircase and entered the dining room, where an enticing breakfast was laid out on the table. Ryou stood in the doorway, looking around in fear, looking for the Beast.

"Ryou," Yuugi said at the boy's elbow, causing him to jump. "Let me show you to your seat." Ryou nodded, wondering absently how Yuugi would show him, until he saw the chair at the end of the table pulled out by invisible hands. He hurried to the end of the table. "You must remain standing until the Master arrives," Yuugi instructed him, squeezing his hand then letting it drop.

Beauty stood behind the chair and watched the entrance to the dining hall fearfully. As the grandfather clock in the hall struck ten, a tall shadow fell inside the dining room and a moment later- Ryou held his breath as the shadow moved further in- the man from the night before stepped into the room. His proud head turned in contempt to Beauty, who withered beneath the cold blue eyes. Then he snapped his head away and continued to the head of the table, where invisible hands pulled the chair out with a soft mutter of "Master." The man sat down and nodded subtly. The chairs lining the table pulled out in one motion and Ryou felt a hand on his elbow again.

"You may sit now," Yuugi whispered and Ryou quickly did so. A clattering of plates and silverware wound around the table and Beauty watched in astonishment as platters of food floated from person to person. Invisible hands snatched pastries, scooped up muffins, and dished out eggs onto their plates. A salt shaker rose up and down in the air rapidly on Ryou's right, but the middle of the shaker was invisible in the air. Ryou shivered, then saw a dish of bread was thrust under his nose. "Help yourself," Yuugi said and Ryou wished he could look into his friend's face and thank him. Otherwise, it was uncanny to talk to thin air.

At the other end of the table, the Master scanned the table with brisk eyes, his brown brow furrowing. "Where is Honda?" he demanded.

Otogi, who sat on the Master's right, coughed nervously. "Oh, he should be in soon."

"He mentioned that Yami was acting up earlier, Master," Malik, further down the table, added.

The Master glared narrowly at both servants as though he could see them, then pursed his lips and turned to his breakfast. Ryou, who observed the interrogation and the way Otogi and Malik humbly responded to the cold man, was reminded that he still had not met the one other visible person of the mansion- the stable-hand Honda. He was curious what kind of person Honda was and on the whole looked forward to seeing him, because it would be a nice change to see someone again.

He was not disappointed as the kitchen door opened and a tall handsome man stepped inside the room. It was so good just to see a person that Ryou unconsciously let out a squeak of delight. Honda (for surely, who else could it be) had warm brown eyes that fell with surprise onto Ryou as he stepped into the room, before an equally cozy smile spread over his face. He stopped beside the Master's chair and bent his handsome body towards him.

"Apologies for my tardiness, Master Kaiba," he said in a humble yet quietly mocking voice. "Yami tried to get loose last night during the storm." It was the first time Ryou heard the cold man named. It suited him immensely, a formal, at-a-distance name that slipped over him like frost.

The Master's mouth descended his face, the corners like commas reaching towards the line of his chin. "Very well, Honda. I am sure you handled the situation."

Honda, his face still towards the ground, lifted his eyes towards Beauty, who blushed when his playful eyes met his own. "Naturally, Master Kaiba." Ryou wondered what their relationship was, lovers parted bitterly. One took it hard, while the other chose to find a joke in everything, from the dancing light on the carpet to the ice wrapped around the Master. Maybe that was how he got away with using his name. Maybe the warmth in his eyes melted the ice despite the winter within the Master's soul.

The man nodded and Honda straightened up. "I will want to take Yami out later. Be sure he is ready by then." Honda nodded, a smile on his lips, and then he walked down the table, his eyes on Ryou, and it seemed as though Honda would walk right through him. But he stopped a few seats down and sat at the vacant chair, the only one still flush against the table rim. Ryou thought he could hear Honda's laughter echoing behind those eyes.

The rest of breakfast passed without incident, but Honda's eyes watched Ryou openly throughout the morning. Beauty did not know whether he was flattered or appalled.

At a quarter to eleven, the Master rose from his seat and all the chairs lining the table pushed back. Ryou was a little late in standing as the Master left the room. As soon as the door swung closed, an immense jovial chatter filled the dining hall. Dishes floated of their own accord into the kitchen and in the invisible mayhem, Honda disappeared from the room, like a ghost with wings.

Ryou tried not to appear obvious in looking for Honda, but it seemed he was not particularly good at hiding his curiosity. A voice in his ear spoke low. "He's probably out at the stables. He's been dying to meet you." It was Jounouchi's voice and Ryou quietly thanked him. And he slipped out of the room as well.

Honda was not surprised to see Ryou standing in the stable doorway. He was feeding a beautiful black horse some oats, looking so pastoral and beautiful that Ryou wondered again who this man was and why he chose to waste away at this cursed palace. He turned, absently stroking the horse's nose, and smiled at Ryou. "Hello, Beauty."

Ryou stepped forward, his body hesitant. "I-"

"I suppose you want to know what I'm doing here. Why I choose to spend my life with that cold man and his formless servants."

"I…well, yes," Ryou said.

Honda nodded, then walked over to a pile of hay on the other side of the stables. "Come here, Beauty. Sit down."

Honda sank down into the golden straw. Ryou delicately sat down beside Honda, the hay leaping up to engulf him in yellow warmth. He was like a lamb beside Honda, weak-kneed, meak, and mild.

"Ryuuji and I used to live in the city, thousands of miles from here. We've never been country people; I don't really know how we got here in the first place." Honda smiled and a small part of Beauty melted inside. "Actually, that's not quite true. I know how I got here and a little of why Ryuuji came here as well.

"We were quite happy, Ryuuji and I, living in the city. It started out with me as his bodyguard- Ryuuji was head of a major corporation and was a large public figure then. We gradually became friends, of course, but, um, nothing more. Not that I didn't want to, Beauty, but...he was such a big person at the time; I was lucky just to be his friend. Besides, he could have had anyone he wanted. Why would he choose me?"

Ryou inched closer to Honda and wanted to reach out for his hand. The black horse in the stable stamped its hoof and shook his mane.

"But I loved him," Honda sighed. "I would have gone to the ends of the earth for him." Honda's brown eyes shone like amber. "After a few years, Ryuuji planned a voyage to Egypt, to increase the scope of his company. I, naturally, went with him.

"The ship was at sea only for a few days before it met a tremendous storm that left me shipwrecked on a foreign shore. I had no clue where Ryuuji was, and took him for dead. But that, Beauty, took a long time for me to accept. Because my heart told me that somewhere, my love was alive." Honda sat up a little and shifted in the hay.

"So I searched for years for Ryuuji, searched to the ends of the earth and beyond, for seven straight years. And then one day I got lost in this forest, lost for days, stumbling through the trees. Until, finally, I found the mansion...and Ryuuji."

"But he was invisible by that time," Ryou whispered. Honda nodded.

"That's right, but he was alive and that was all that mattered to me. Though I vowed to break the curse that kept him from my sight."

A shadow at the stable door fell across the hay towards the pair, but neither noticed the dark shape on the ground. The black horse snorted and turned away from the sun.

"But...but they're still invisible. Is it that hard to break the spell?"

Honda grinned. "Well, I wasn't quite suited for that job. You see, Beauty, the key to breaking the spell is-"

"Honda!" a sharp voice snapped from the door, and the shadow advanced quickly towards them. "You weren't about to reveal the secret to the curse, were you?" It was Otogi. Honda shrank a little from his lover, his cheeks turning faint pink.

"Ryuuji! My love, there you are!" Honda leaped up and wrapped his arms around invisible shoulders.

"Well, were you, Honda? You know that's forbidden."

"Of course I wasn't," Honda pouted. "I was going to explain the hours to Beauty."

Honda's arms fell from Otogi's shoulders and the shadow on the floor flattened. Ryou assumed Otogi now sat close to him, and when he saw the hollow in the hay, he found his assumption was correct. "In that case, may I? After all, Hiroto, I was there."

Honda sank back into the hay, his hand in the air preoccupied with an invisible lock of hair. "By all means, love, go ahead." Honda turned his head absently away from Beauty. Ryou turned his attention to where he thought Otogi sat.

"When the witch cast a spell on the Master, it was to be hideous to all who see him. But the witch was not so cruel as to make him ugly for all of time, and so she allows the Master to appear in his original form for three hours a day." Ryou felt a shift in the hay and watched a shadow fall across the black horse's stable gate, who, at the sight of the shadow, retreated to the back of his stall. It was the shadow of a hand, Otogi's hand. "Ten in the morning, six in the evening, and two at night- these are the only hours the Master appears as he once did. At all other hours, he locks himself away in the west wing, because his appearance is so grotesque that he dares not even show himself to us, for fear that we might die of fright." The hand shadow fell and the black horse returned to gate, sticking his nose over and pushing Honda in the shoulder for attention. Honda laughed and pushed the horse's wet nose away. Ryou gazed up at that smiling face in wonder.

Honda, seeing Ryou's eyes on him, turned to him and grinned. "Beauty, so far you have only seen the Master as he wishes you to see him. He arranges meals that way, because he is ashamed. But if you are going to break the curse, you have to be brave. You have to understand why the Master is known as the Beast."

Ryou, scared by the intensity of Honda's gaze, looked away. "But how do I do that?"

"You have to see him, of course! See him as the curse intended him to appear!"

Ryou gasped. He had feared that's what they meant for him to do. But he was just the humble son of an inventer. What could he do about curses and beasts and witches?

_TBC..._

Oh my god, Chapter Six already! Now I have to go write chapter Seven, and Eight and Nine and however many more until this story is complete! I never imagined I'd get this far, though, so I'm very proud of myself. Though, considering, the main romance has yet to begin! Oh my.

And if you are wondering why it seems that Ryou is in love with Honda, well, um, he's experiencing these new feelings for the first time. You could say that since he came to the mansion, he's grown up. For instance, he's never encountered sex before, but the servants have no qualms about discussing their love lives. So this is just another level of maturity that Beauty has reached. Well, if that was something you were wondering, hope I answered your question. Looking forward to Chapter Seven. Until then!


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